Then, even over-riding everything else, there was the matter of the "refining" Chet's company had done on the Bee-Gee that Paul had flown in a test flight that had cost him his life. She had never reconciled, as Gail may have, that Paul's plane crash had been an unavoidable accident. Barbara believed the crash had been caused by careless manufacturing from Chet's and his father's company, because they were more interested in making a profit than in the safety of whatever product they sold.

Now she had two of the strongest reasons never to forgive Chet, or to let him get away with what he had done to her and those she loved.

Somehow, some way, some day, Chet, she vowed... God forgive me, but God also help me... You're going to get yours!

Barbara tooted in the new year, 1937, rather quietly at the Genda ranch with Buck and Edna and George and Leila who was due any day to have her baby. Just a week later, Leila was delivered of a beautiful, healthy daughter they named Arial because they hoped her future would be like theirs, in aviation.

A week after that, Barbara celebrated again, after a phone call from Jackie Cochran with exciting news: "Howard just set a new transcontinental air speed record! He flew his H-One 'Winged Bullet' from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey in seven hours, 28 minutes!"

Almost in the same breath, the aviatrix asked when Barbara could come visit again at her ranch. They agreed it would be that summer, hopefully after Barbara reopened her airport.

"Make it early June, if you can," Jackie said. "Amelia is planning to stay with me for a week or so. While she gets ready for a flight around the world."

Barbara said she would move heaven and earth to meet Amelia Earhart and agreed to an early June visit to the ranch.

"Are you going to enter the Bendix Race this September?" Jackie asked. "I'm going to. Many of the other girls you've met are, too."

Barbara wished she could. "I doubt it very much. If I manage to get my airport open again this summer, I'll be pretty busy with it in the fall. But if I can get away in June, I'd love to see you again at your ranch."

Gail came to visit at the Genda ranch soon afterward and brought Barbara's godson with her. It was a time of reunion and filling each other in on their lives.

Barbara told how the arson investigations had led to Chet Armstrong, but no charges had been brought against him. It saddened but did not surprise Gail.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024